"... and our bond became stronger day by day and when my mother passed away, they were there to comfort me."
Lian averted his gaze from her and this did not go unnoticed by Rin. She stretched her hand and placed it on his shoulder.
"You okay?"
"Am fine," he replied and turned to face her," thank you for telling me about your past."
"Hold it right there. Don't you go assuming that they weren't involved in killings before. They may be good people right now but they are still a criminal group."
"I was not assuming anything," he replied defensively.
Rin looked at him and a mischevious smirk spread across her lips.
"Oh! That's it!" she exclaimed.
"What? What happened?" Lian asked confused by her sudden outburst.
"Allow big sister to help you," she said and Lian shivered at the look in her eyes.
"Help? Help with what?"
Rin chuckled and stood up. She grabbed Lian's hand and together they dashed back to the ward room. Upon their arrival, they found Ding already dressed ready to leave.
"You're back?" he asked and Rin let go of Lian's hand.
"Where are you going? Did the doctors give you permission to leave the hospital?"
Ding and Tsun exchanged knowing looks which Rin knew very well.
"Work?"
Ding nodded his head in response and Rin let out an exhausted sigh.
"Are your wounds okay though? You can't be up and about with a hole on your stomach."
"Nagging already?" Tsun asked playfully and Rin shrugged her shoulders.
"He's a reckless one. You can't blame me for worrying about him."
Tsun playfully slapped Ding's back and he grit his teeth and Rin saw this. She opened her mouth to speak up but Ding spoke first.
"Hey! What do you think you're doing?"
"Maybe you shouldn't be heading out just yet," Rin said concerned," he doesn't look well enough to just leave."
"Thanks for the concern sister but am okay, no need to worry about me."
Rin studied his face and reluctantly nodded her head.
"Oh! That's right! Tsun, Lian do you mind giving me and Ding some room? I need to speak with him in private."
"Rin?"
She turned and looked at him a warm smile on her lips.
"Lian, you and Tsun head on out first okay?"
"Okay Rin," he said and walked out of the ward room with Tsun.
Once they were out of the room and in the hall way, Rin walked towards the door and closed it before turning to Ding who was seated on the bed. Rin walked towards him and took a seat next to him.
"Are you nervous?" she asked after noticing his strained posture.
"You tell me," he replied and Rin chuckled.
"Okay I'll just get to the point. Am gonna need you to stop being such a jerk," she said her tone suddenly shifting to a serious one.
"Huh?"
"I won't scold you or anything but Lian..."
The car drove into the compound and the three walked out. The guards bowed in unison at the appearance of their leaders.
"Welcome back!"
Tsun waved his hand and they walked into the building.
"Take him to my room," Ding instructed before turning to Lian," no funny business pet."
"I have a name you know and it's Lian! Is that so hard to understand?" he asked and Ding ignored him and walked towards the staircase.
"Follow me to the master's room," the guy said and Lian nodded his head.
Lian turned and watched Ding's figure disappear and his face dropped. Tsun walked towards him and placed a hand on his shoulder.
"I'll talk to him," he said and disappeared after Ding.
Lian's eyes followed him before he turned to the guy before him.
"Lead the way."
The guy nodded and walked away with Lian following closely behind him. After a few minutes, they arrived and the guy dismissed himself leaving Lian to himself.
"Phew! Let's get inside first," he said and turned the door knob allowing himself entry into the room.
Feeling like an obedient puppy, Lian decided to take a seat and wait for his so called 'master' to surprise him with his magnificent presence. He sat on the bed and patiently waited for Ding not that there wasn't anywhere else to sit in the huge room. After a few minutes of nothingness passed, he slowly began to feel drowsy and his eyelids grew heavy. Not in his right mind perhaps due to exhaustion, he curled himself up on the bed and immediately drifted off to sleep.
".... you need to be more careful Ding. I know you're strong and all but you need to control your anger."
Ding clenched his hands tightly behind his back and lowered his gaze to the floor.
"Understood."
Once the two were released, Ding loosened his tie and unbuttoned the first two buttons of his shirt.
"How are you holding up?" Tsun asked pulling up to his side.
"Am not that fragile okay? Am heading to my room first," he said dismissing his concerns.
Tsun let out a defeated sigh and headed his own way. Ding preceeded into his room and the sight that greeted him left him dumbstruck. Lian was cuddled up on his bed and if that wasn't enough, he was tightly clutching onto the sheets. Ding closed the door and walked towards the bed where Lian was cuddled up like a child.
"Mmh... sir..." Lian mumbled in his sleep and Ding shook his head.
"Look at him sleeping so soundly in someone else's room... what kind of punishment should I give you my pet?"
While watching Lian's sleeping face, his mind went back to the conversation he had had with Rin in the hospital...
"I know everything," Ding said a serious look in his eyes.
"Wait! You knew? How?"
"Have you already forgotten who I am?"
"Huh?"
"Tsun investigated him for me," Ding proudly admitted.
"And you're okay with sticking with him?"
"Of course. I have my own reasons."
Ding looked at Lian's sleeping face and stretched his hand only to stop midway in the air.
"How will things turn out? Am curious to see the lengths you're willing to take in order to get what you desire," he mumbled to himself and stood up.
Lian groaned and sat up stretching his numb muscles. He rubbed his eyes and groggily looked around the unfamiliar room.
"Where..?"
"You're awake?"
He turned towards the direction of the sound and saw Ding who was just finished taking a shower.
"How was it sleeping in your master's room? Comfortable?"
"I, I don't know how I managed to f, fall asleep here.. I, I, I'm so s, sorry," he stuttered nervously and it took Ding a whole lot of energy not to laugh at his nervousness.
"Seriously, why does he have such a look when embarrassed? Makes me want to tease him," he mumbled to himself, biting on his lower lip.
Ding walked towards Lian and leaned down to his height. A scent of citrus hit Lian's nose and his heartbeat quickened.
"I told you to wait for me right? And you decided to get yourself some sleep. Wasn't that being too much?"
"Uh.."